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The
ollege* News
Voi,. XL"" <To. 11
f BRYN MAWR, PA., WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1984
Price 10 Cents
4
CHINA GOVERNED BY
MOST TALENTED GROUP
Students Take Active Hand In
Determining Foreign Policy . "
�By Organized Campaign '
EARNESTNESS MARKS WORK
Academic traditions have had a longer
continuity in China than in any other coun-
try. Until very recently, students all over
the Empire we're using text-books and meth-
ods originating before the Christian Era.
Her educational tradition is the glory of
China. Long before Western nations had
arrived at the most primitive stages -of
savage education, and before many of her
Orjeofcil.jjeighbors had passed beyond the
earlier stages of culture, China had a uni-
fied educational system which ran through
carefully graduated stages, from the lowest
primary schools to the famous civil service
examinations. It was through this system
that she carefully chose her statesmen, pick-
ing the best men of each region in local
preliminary examinations, and making a
further selection in the annual provincial
tests. She determined the final choice in the
triennial metropolitan examinations. �� By
these means China had at once established
equality, of opportunity tor all her sons, and
an aristocracy of talent by which she was
governed.
Salvation Only Through Education.
Within recent years the old system has
been abolished. The formal civil service ex-
aminations ended in 1905, but education had
maintained its honorable primacy in Chinese
life. A modern system of education has
been developed, with primary and secondary
schools under local autonomy, normal
schools arid colleges for the training of
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
FAITH WAS CHIEF CONCERN
OF CHRIST'S MISSION
Dr. Coffin Explains Four Ways of
Religious Expression
"We often think of Christ as preach-
ing love above everything else," said Rev.
Henry Sloane Coffin, Pastor of the Madi-
son Avenue Presbyterian Church, last
Sunday in Chapel. "In reality, He
preaches faith."
"Faith is the essence of religion," con-
tinued Dr. Coffin. "To be religious is to
be connected with Someone; faith sup-
plies this connection.
Dr. Coffin said that faith showed itself
in many different ways: through con-
science, as in the case of Wilberforce,
the English Liberator of the African
slave, and Lord Ashley, who also strove
to ameliorate social conditions; by power,
as exemplified by Henry M. Stanley, ex-
. plorer of Africa; by the insight of Lin-
coln; by *the power to appreciate life as
beautiful, and lastly by bigness. "It is
not true," admitted Dr. Coffin, "that all
religious people are possessed of big
minds; but it is true that communion with
God enlarges us."
"Faith is hard to 'poo-poo' away," con-
tinued Dr. Coffin. He explained that the
discovery of God resembles the discovery
of the planet Neptune, located by scien-
tists before it was actually seen. We feel
"sTIe is there, but we do not know it until
circumstances make us cry out, "O my
God!"
"But God is not remote," assured Dr.
Coffin. "Faith renders Him available."
The pathos of living without Him, sim-
ply because we do not stretch upward and
make connections!"
STOKES BREAKS ONE COLLEGE
RECORD: ESTABLISHES ANOTHER
Victory in Relay, 68 Foot Front and
120 Foot Front Gives 1927 Victory
First place in la�t Friday's swimming
meet,�thc second of the season, went to
1927, which scored 26 points. 1926 came
second with 24 points, 1928 third with
12, and 1925 fourth with 9.
The 68-ft. front swim was won by
Helen Stokes, '27, whose score of*f2.4
seconds breaks by six-tenths of a
second the college record established by
K. Woodward^ JBL E. Harris, '26, was
next, with 13.2 seconds. B. Stewart, '28,
won the 68-ft. back race in 17.1 seconds.
A record for the 120-ft. front race "was
made by H, Stokes, '27, in 26.2 seconds,
while E. Harris, '26, followed with 26.4
secorids.
In diving, F. Green, '26, placed first
with a total of 60.9 points, while F. Jay,
'26, came next with 60.1. The plunge was
won by L. Barber, '25, with a distance of
57 feet 9 inches. The relay went to 1927
with a scor^of 62.1 seconds.
On the second 'teams, 1925 had 16
points; 1926, 9, and 1927 and 1926 tied for
third with 4 points. Victory in. the 68-ft.
front and the 120-ft. front went to S.
Anderson, '25, with scores respectively of
15 and 30 seconds, while R. Tatnall, '26,
won the diving.
COMMERCIALISM IS NOW
GREATEST TRAGEDY OF THEATRE
Mr. Middleton Believes Its Condition
Essentially Healthy
"A play is like a baby," said Mr.
George Middleton, speaking last Friday
under the auspices of the Liberal Club
on the practical aspects of modern drama,
"and must be as carefully nurtured."
The prevalent idea that a play merely
has to be written to be produced, and
that a good play will succeed because of
its merit, is ideal, he said, but not true.
The hardest task for the playwright is
getting the play before the public. This
is especially hard for an unknown play-
wright, because in the producing game a
well-known name is a better bet than an
untried author.
"The best way, though not the easiesj,"
said Mr. Middleton, "is to read the play
to a producer or a star." But he said
that people frequently have to be "held"
physically, as well as by the interest of
the play, to make them listen.
Once the play is accepted for produc-
tion it must be cast, and the playwrights
usually write into the contract a clause
giving them the right *of supervision
over casting. Most directors like to have
the playwrights at rehearsal.
"Playwrights do not find the star sys-
tem the unmitigated curse which it is
sometimes painted," Mr. Middleton said
in answer to a question. "The flaming
personality of such a star as Ethel Barry-
more may be a great help to the author
in making his play a popular success."
In conclusion, Mr. Middleton said, "In
spite of the inroads which the movies
and the radio have made upon it, the
American theatre is in an extremely
healthy condition. But the'danger which
threatens is commercialization, both in
the operation of theatres as real estate
investments, and the rapidly-mounting
demands of producers and owners for
quick returns on their money."
SENIORS GIVE RECEPTION
AND SKIT TO FRESHMEN
Interlude Flavored With Familiar
Figures From Court of St. James
The family life of the' Windsors was
made glaringly public last Saturday night
through the indiscretions of the Senior
Class in giving a skit entitled "Hey Day
at the Court of St. James."
Nothing; was hidden, nothing left un-
mentioned. The distressingly plebeian
passion of King George the Fifth for
cross-word puzzles was exposed by,his
poplin-clad spouse, while Constance,
Countess of Periods, gave the Prince of
Wales his "daily fall from the horse and
the Lord High Elociitioner, ardent cham-
pion of monarchy and the vitiated vowel,
the former doing a creditable rendering
of "The Skylark, put Lucy, Duchess of
Wordswords, and Mees Georgiana de
Risquay through articulatory gymnastics.
Fearfully realistic were the Represen-
tatives of the Press, inky and boisterous
and introduced by Horace, Master of
Harmonies, and the susceptible heart of
"Davy" was visibly lost to the dainty blue
Miss Octavia Viginti. �_
After this delightful interlude which
ended with the traditional ensemble,
general dancing and supper followed.
NORMAN THOMAS TO LEAD
INDUSTRIAL CONFERENCE
Program rlanned for Meeting to Stress
Collegiate Thought
A student conference to discuss eco-
nomic and industrial questions will be
held on December twenty-ninth and thir-
tieth in New York under the leadership
of Norman Thomas.
*
"What are our collegians thinking?"
will be the first subject for discussion on
Monday morning, December twenty-
ninth. Delegates from various Eastern
colleges represented will report and, in
addition to the students, officers of the
League for Industrial Democracy who
have been visiting colleges in all parts
of the country will report the conclusion
they have reached.
Mr. John Brophy, President of District
Number two, United Mine Workers of
America, will speak on the subject:
"What can I do in nationalization?" fol-
lowing, Norman Thomas will speak on
"What can I do in politics?" ' Mrs. Har-
riot Stanton Blatch, one of the leaders
of Women Suffrage in the United States,
will be chairman of the meeting.
A pleasant interlude will be afforded
by a supper to the delegates Monday
evening in the home of Norman Thomas.
The conference will be in full session
again at a big mass meeting in Cooper
Union.
Brigadier General Thompson, of the
British Labor Party, formerly Secretary
of State for Air in the British' Labor
Cabinet, will speak on "Why I joined the
Labor Party." By the courtesy of the
Foreign Policy Association, which is ar-
ranging this meeting, the League dele-
gates will receive free tickets,
the discussion on "Toward Economic
Freedom in America" will be continued.
Roger N. Baldwin, Director of the
American Civil Liberties Union, will
speak on "What Can I Do in Civil Lib-
erty?" and Mr. A. J. Muste, of Brook-
CONTINUED ON PACK 5
FESTIVITIES IN HALLS
FRIDAY BEFORE HOLIDAYS
Choir in Caps and Gowns Will Sing
Christmas Carols on Campus
While Pembroke Dances
RETURN TO MEpiAEVAL SPIRIT
Christmas revelry 'Will fill the halls on
Friday night, December 19. The parties
planned differ greatly; you may wonder
if each is typical of its hall. Radnor does
not concern itself with atmosphere; its
program is merely a banquet and a skit
by every class but the Seniors. Denbigh
and Rockefeller will return to the Mid-
dle Ages with a Lord and Lady, of the
Manor leading their festive courts. Den-
Lbigh also gives a skit, while Rockefeller
tries to capture the elusive "mediaeval
spirit" in a pageant of knights and ladies,
scholars and court attendants. . More
frivolous Merion will express its twen-
tieth spirit in a ,tea dance. After dinner
the Freshmen of Pembroke will give an
entertainment to the rest of the college in
the Pembroke dining room, which. will
be followed by dancing.
Outside this warm merriment the choir
will show perhaps the truest Christmas
spirit, going from house to house on the
campus and singing carols, no matter
how cold*and sharp the wind. About
midnight they will return to Pembroke
arch and sing as the dancers are leaving.
Clearly the Christmas tendencies of the
campus are mediaeval, as last spring they
were Elizabethan. If the large scale pro-
duction were not lacking, too, you might
expect to find an authentic Christmas
scene with In ox, an ass, and a flock of
sheep on the campus, and insurance for
a night of stars and snow. The Middle
Ages are more simple.
CONCERT PROFITS GO
TO MUSIC DEPARTMENT
Sale of Boxes for Series in Hands of
New York Committee.
The New York Committee of the De-
partment of Music at Bryn Mawr Col-
lege, of which Mrs. William C. Dicker-
man is chairman, and whose magnificent
work has made possible the Department
of Music at Bryn Mawr College because
it has every year raised the money to
run the department, has taken over the
sale of the boxes at ten subscription con-
certs which the Wolfsohn Musical Bu-
reau has announced. Those still to be
given are:
Moriz Rosenthal� Box $30, seat $3.7S.
Sunday afternoon, January 4.
London String Quartet�Box $40, seat $5.
Saturday afternoon, February 7.
Cecelia Hansen� Box $30, seat $3.75.
Russian Violinist, Sunday afternoon,
March 1. .
Maria Ivogun�Box $30, seat $3.75.
Hungarian Coloratura, Saturday.
March 7 (afternoon).
Josef Hofmann�Box $40, seat $3.75.
Saturday afternoon, March 88.
The committee would appreciate tre- �""
mendously any assistance from the un-
dergraduates who are in New York at
the time of these concerts by buying seats
or boxes for the concerts. The profits
which are very high on the sale of the
boxes go to the expenses of the Music
Department this year at Bryn Mawr.
Further information may be obtained
from Mrs. William C. Dickerman. 6 East
79th street, New Tfcrk City.